The name is Birria, and the name of the new cookbook is Birrias. So what is it? Long a staple of Mexican cuisine, Jesse Valenciana, who is the author of the book, stopped by Tonia;s Kitchen to talk about the origins of the authentic birria, and how it evolved. Jesse told Tonia it goes back to days when goats roamed the Mexico countryside, and were considered something of a nuisance. That's because they ate a lot of the crops. Birria, says Jesse, is a slow-roasted stew consisting of goat meat. As times evolved, it was made with beef. In his book, Jesse says there are number of recipes for birria, with just about any kind of protein you can think of!
2 lbs. short rib
6 dried chile guajillo
2 dried chile ancho
2 garlic cloves
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 clove
¼ cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp. beef bouillon
3-4 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
2 Tbsp. oil
Salt and pepper
onions, cilantro, and lime, for garnish
Optional: Warm tortillas for making birria tacos
Equipment
Large cast iron pan
Large Dutch oven (5-quart or larger)
To make the chile base:
Heat large cast iron pan to medium/high heat.
Toast the chiles for 1-2 minutes, turning frequently to make sure they don't burn. Transfer the toasted chiles to a heatproof bowl.
Saute the onion until the it begins to brown.
Add 1 cup boiling beef broth to the heatproof bowl, allowing chiles to soak for 5 minutes or until pliable.
Remove the chiles from broth (reserve the broth for the next step), then remove all the seeds and veins from the chiles.
Add reserved broth, chiles, onion, garlic, oregano, thyme, clove, cinnamon stick, bouillon, and bay leaves to a blender. Blend until smooth and set aside.
To make the beef:
Chop chuck roast into 2" cubes. Generously season all sides of chuck roast and short ribs with salt and pepper.
Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in large cast iron pan. Brown chuck roast and short ribs on all sides, but do not cook all the way through. Transfer meat to a Dutch oven.
Add your chile base and the remaining 2-3 cups of beef broth to the Dutch oven. Use enough beef broth to submerge the beef. Stir to combine.
Bring the Dutch oven to a simmer and cook over medium heat for at least three hours, but up to five. The meat should be tender enough to fall apart using a fork.
Remove bones and gristle from the cooked beef. Reserve the broth for dipping purposes, if desired. Serve the finished beef with tortillas, cilantro, onion, and lime.
MexiPoix Relish (Mexican Mirepoix)
Makes approx. 20 oz.
Ingredients
1 large white onion, finely chopped
1 cup pickled jalapeno slices, finely chopped
½ cup packed cilantro, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Salt, to taste
Instructions:
In a bowl, combine onions, cilantro, pickled jalapenos, lime juice, and salt. Mix until well incorporated. Serve on tacos, sandwiches, salads, and more
